Digital Government

U.S. Cyber Command - The Wiring Diagram

A benevolent reader sent along a a high level organizational diagram for the U.S. Cyber Command, which I am going to share with everyone out there in Whats-land.

Ideas

Next Week: Cloud Computing Storefront

You may have seen <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137841/White_House_CIO_to_disclose_cloud_computing_plans">reports</a> today regarding a major announcement next week from federal chief information officer Vivek Kundra on the government's cloud computing initiative. The source of most of those reports is <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2009/M09-116.html">this release</a> from NASA's Ames Research Center in California, which says only that Kundra "will outline his vision for a new federal government cloud computing initiative". As the home of <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090828_3538.php">NASA's cloud computing initiative</a> (cleverly dubbed "Nebula"), Ames seems like a natural choice to reveal the government's new cloud strategy.

Digital Government

8 reasons why the government hiring process doesn't work

Readers share their experiences trying to get jobs in the federal government.

Digital Government

FCC launches social media projects, but critic raps transparency shortcomings

The FCC starts Web programs to invite public comments on a plan, but a critic says the commission should first fix its official electronic comments system.

People

Report: EPA's total labor-hour giveaway

On nearly half of audited task orders, the Environmental Protection Agency's labor-hour estimate and the contractor’s proposed cost were the same, a new report says.

Modernization

Monumental task

The second half of the National Archives and Records Administration's name suggests an even bigger challenge than keeping aging official parchments from rotting away into oblivion.

People

IRS braced to lose experienced technical employees — and newer ones, too

The IRS estimates that it would need to recruit one manager a day for the next 10 years to fill the projected shortage.

People

Facebook launches government page

The federal government has jumped into the social-media fray by launching a Facebook page aimed at giving agencies the tips and inspiration to set up and run their own pages on the social-networking site.

Digital Government

OPM Spotlights CIO's Role

Chris Dorobek <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=43261&dcn=todaysnews">reports</a> on FederalNewsRadio.com on a memo from Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry that gives the incoming OPM Chief Information Officer greater visibility and authority within the agency. The move comes as OPM looks to finalize its 2010 strategic plan, which is <a href="http://wiredworkplace.nextgov.com/2009/07/opm_plan_goes_public.php?oref=search">currently open for public comment</a>.

Digital Government

Older Workers Staying Put

People

Obama kicks up some dust on federal pay

President Barack Obama's proposal to trim the fiscal 2010 pay raise prompted a range of reader responses, with many concerned that it reflected a dim view of the worth of public service.

Cybersecurity

Report: ICE needs better database to track detainees

The DHS agency needs better information systems and database to track its 32,000 detainees and ensure good management, a report recommends.

People

Senate confirms head of White House regulatory office

The Senate has confirmed Cass Sunstein to head the powerful Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs that reviews agencies' final and proposed rules before they are published.

People

Ink Tank

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Cybersecurity

Build a better test for your emergency response systems

There are a variety of techniques and tools that agencies can use to get the most out of the time and money they spend testing their emergency management systems.

Cybersecurity

Independent evaluations

Eastern Kentucky University independently evaluates how well commercial incident management software meets the criteria of the National Incident Management System standard.

Cybersecurity

Pointers: Recommended reading

Lessons learned from data breaches; Password hackers on the loose; the Internet and civic engagement; and Twitter guidelines.

Cybersecurity

NARA digs out of digital avalanche

The National Archives is under mounting pressure to help the federal government manage its rapidly growing store of electronic records.

Modernization

NARA's top 10 management challenges

The Office of Inspector General recently listed what it considers the most significant challenges facing the agency.

Digital Government

GSA's Casey Coleman sees mix of public, private services in the cloud

Government applications that don't have stringent requirements under the Federal Information Security Management Act could be the first available for testing in a public cloud environment, according to the leader of the Federal CIO Cloud Working Group.